lngmn shk

Dragons Gate
Grottos

What are the

Dragons Gate
Grottos?

Information via UNESCO Website

Brief synthesis
The Lngmn Grottoes lie 12 km south of the historic Chinese city of Luoyang. Two hills flank the
Yishui River at a place that combines considerable strategic importance and great natural beauty.
The slopes of the West and East Hills become very steep and cliff-like as they approach the river
valley, and it is here that the easily worked limestone was carved to produce the Lngmn Caves.
In total 2,345 niches or grottoes have been recorded on the two sides of the river. They house
more than 100,000 Buddhist statues, about 2,500 stelae and inscriptions, and over 60 Buddhist
pagodas. On the West Hill cliffs there are more than 50 large and medium-sized caves cut in the
Northern, Sui and Tang dynasties (316-907); the caves on the East Hill cliffs are exclusively from
the Tang dynasty (618-907).

Brief synthesis
Luoyang was the capital during the late Northern Wei Dynasty and early Tang
Dynasty, and the most intensive period of carving dates from the end of the
5th century to the mid-8th century. The earliest caves to be carved in the
late 5th and early 6th centuries in the West Hill cliffs include Guyangdong and
the Three Binyang Caves, all containing large Buddha figures. Yaofangdong
Cave contains 140 inscription recording treatments for various diseases and
illnesses.

Brief synthesis
Work on the sculpture in this cave continued over a 150 year period,
illustrating changes in artistic style. The sculptural styles discovered in the
Buddhist caves of the Tang Dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries, particularly
the giant sculptures in the Fengxiansi Cave are the most fully representative
examples of the Royal Cave Temples art, which has been imitated by artists
from various regions. The two sculptural art styles, the earlier Central China
Style and the later Great Tang Style had great influence within the country
and throughout the world, and have made important contributions to the
development of the sculptural arts in other Asian countries.

REFERENCES:

Modified Dragon source:

silgan.deviantart.com
Information of Lngmn Grottos
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1003
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFp7D0UxNxU

Additional Pictures via

http://www.yahoo.com/
- image search:
[longmen grottos]